I know. It's blasphemous not to do so,
but I've really had decent excuses for not compiling game results in
the past. Each time I've done it, whether with the baseball replays,
football or basketball games, my computers have crashed. And, even if
I had kept the records on disc drives or on websites, I always lost
the computer and ended up with totally different operating systems
later.
When I first began in the world of APBA
with the basketball game, I would keep the stats by hand. This was a
time when, unbelievably, we didn't have computers at hand. Back then
a large Texas Instruments calculator was pretty high-tech. I had
ample time back then to write the statistics, figuring them out with
the calculator and writing them on paper.
But this time I have a dependable
computer and, even though I am really computer stupid, I was able to
develop a spreadsheet that does averages for me. It's still primitive
when compared to some of the replayers' stat-keeping abilities, but
it's the best I can muster.
I still have about 20 games to enter
into the spreadsheet to catch up with where I'm at (May 8, 1950). I
don't update the stats after each game, but rather when I have an
hour or so extra.
So, now, as I roll my 1950 baseball
replay, I can actually say assuredly that two reasons why the Boston
Braves are playing well above expectations is because catcher Walker
Cooper is batting .385 with 5 home runs and 24 RBIs and Warren Spahn
has a 4-0 record with 22 strikeouts and an insane ERA of 0.75.
I also know that Roy Hartsfield of the
Braves leads the National League with a .441 batting average, and
Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals is second with an average of
.411. Stan “The Man” also has 6 home runs and 20 RBIs.
Jackie Robinson has been a bit of a
disappointment in my replay, batting .257, and Duke Snider is a
surprise with his batting average of .389, 7 home runs and 22 RBIs.
If not for Snider and pitcher Don Newcombe with his 4-0 record and a
1.48 ERA, the Dodgers would be further behind in the standings then
they already are.
It sounds cool just saying that.
In the American League, the Detroit
Tigers' Vic Wertz leads all batters with a blazing .517 average. He
has 30 hits out of 58 at bats so far. The White Sox' Eddie Robinson
is one of the sole good things in Chicago with his batting average of
.466.
Doing the stats does provide a
different look at the replays. When a player comes to bat, I have a
better idea of what he can do. Of course, this is early and, like in
real life, players tend to get hot or cool off. I'm sure the averages
will change as the season progresses.
But, still, it's interesting to do this
and it does add that new element. Other replayers have done this for
years so most of those who read this are probably slapping their
foreheads and saying, 'Well, no duh.”
But for a computer illiterate with
little time as it is, keeping the stats has shown its worth.
Now, if I can just keep this computer
running.
Back up your stats. If the computer goes down, you'll still have them. Put them in the cloud somewhere. I enjoy following your bog.
ReplyDeleteBallstat/Ballscore are options. Learning curve is a little steep, but once you get it, use the computer to keep score with BallScore and then export to BallStat. Presto magic, instant updated stats.
ReplyDeleteYou can also get actual lineups off the net, and they come right into BallScore. I'm using this for my 68 Tigers replay, and it's vunderful.
I remember calculating averages using a slide rule. I doubt anyone under 30 knows what that was.
ReplyDeleteI keep an array of stats on my computer.
ReplyDeleteI periodically print them out and also e-mail them to myself at work so I have back-ups.
Good luck with your replay.
long ago.....in a galaxy far far away....before computing devices had everyone's nose down and eyes avoiding human interaction at almost all cost.......they used pen and paper to keep their stats.
ReplyDeleteThey even used a manila folder for each team. just think of the hand cramps from all that writing :-)